Multi-purpose carriage for mobile loaders



Jan. 5, 1965 LE GRAND H. LULL MULTL-PURPOSE CARRIAGE FOR MOBILE LOADERS Filed July 9, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l BY LE GRAND H. LULL ATTORNEY 1965 LE GRAND H. LULL 3, 64, 5

MULTI-PURPOSE CARRIAGE FOR MOBILE LOADERS Filed July 9, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LE GR WD h. LULL m/mzb .4 TTORNE Y Jan. 5, 1965 LE GRAND H. LULL 3, 1 64,405 MULTI-PURPOSE CARRIAGE FOR MOBILE LOADEIRS Filed July 9, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. E

BY LE GRAND H. LULL ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,164,4h Patented Jan. 5, 1965 3,164,405 MULTI-PURPOSE CAGE FOR MOBEE LOADERS Le Grand H. Lull, 5581 Woodlawn Blvd., Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed July 9, 1%2, Ser. No. 208,410 11 (Ilaims. (Cl. 294-67) This invention relates to a new and improved load carrying device adapted for use on mobile loaders and the like; in particular, the invention concerns a multiple purpose carriage adapted for mounting on the forward end of a boom and having novel structural and functional characteristics enabling it to handle a wide variety of loads with ease and efhciency.

Mobile loading machines for bulk loads such as logs, lumber, and similar items generally are equipped with a mobile body upon which is pivotally mounted a forwardly extending boom. The free or forward end of the boom is provided with a load engaging device of one sort or another. It has been found that most of the load engaging devices carried by the boom of a mobile loader are adapted to perform a limited number of loading functions. For example, many of such machines have a pair of forwardly extending forks mounted upon a pivotal frame that is attached to the boom. Others have single-acting upper grab arms that cooperate with the forks to load and lift special items such as logs and poles. Still other loading machines are characterized by earth or dirt moving devices attached to the end of their boom and are not equipped to handle loads of widely varying weight, contour, shape or size.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a machine that will overcome the above disadvantages and limitations.

Another broad object of this invention is to provide an improved multipurpose carriage for mobile loaders.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a load engaging carriage for mobile loaders and the like that can be adapted in the field for lifting and handling loads of varying characteristics.

Another object of the this invention is to provide in a multi-purpose carriage for mobile loaders novel and improved means for facilitating the tilt stack of lumber and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a multi-purpose carriage for mobile loaders novel and improved means for pivoting the upper grab arm assembly mounted thereon about more than one axis for increased flexibility of operation.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide in a multi-purpose carriage for mobile loaders novel and improved means for facilitating changes in the lateral position of the lifting forks mounted thereon.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a multipurpose carriage for mobile loaders of the type having forwardly extending lifting forks mounted thereon novel and improved means for Selectively changing the usual internal corners of the forks into fillets of a desired radius to facilitate the smooth uninterrupted flow of objects therep-ast.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide novel and improved hydraulic means for operating an articulated upper grab arm assembly mounted upon a loadengaging carriage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multi purpose carriage for mobile loaders and the like that can be manufactured from readily available materials with a minimum of cost.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multipurpose carriage for mobile loaders and the like that is rugged in design, attractive in appearance and fully suited for the operational uses for which it is intended.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the in'- vention is disclosed by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my multi-p-urpose carriage;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partially in section, taken along the line 33 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in section, taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of my multipurpose carriage;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a bracket assembly forming part of my invention;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, taken along theline 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, taken along the line S3 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in section, taken along the line 9-9 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of my multipurpose carriage with the upper grab arm assembly being shown in several positions and with the vertically mov-. able lifting fork being shown in a raised and a lowered position with respect to the normal attitude thereof.

In the drawings, the invention designated in its entirety by the reference character A, includes a frame 20 transversely carried at the forward end of a boom B. Boom B is rockably mounted for movement in a vertical plane upon a mobile loader (not shown). An hydraulic lift cylinder piston rod C carried by boom B is secured at its forward end to frame 29, as at 22, to impart limited pivotal movements to carriage 20, which is rotatably mounted adjacent its lower edge to boom B, as at 24.

Frame 20 is made up of a series of structural members including a tubular horizontal top member 26, vertical side members 28, 39, an intermediate horizontal member 32, and a lower horizontal member 34. In addition, angular struts 36 and vertical strut members 38 are provided. Vertical struts 38, which extend between intermediate horizontal member 32 and lower horizontal member 34, are equipped with suitable apertured bearing means 40 to receive pivot pins 42 which serve to con-' nect boom B with carriage 20.

Mounted in horizontally spaced parallel relation to side member 28 is a vertical member 44 which extends from lower horizontal member 34 to top horizontal member 26. It can be seen that intermediate horizontal member 32 extends from side member 32 into abutting engagement with the inner surface of vertical member 44 whereby to leave a clearly defined generally elongated vertical passageway 46 between lower member 34 and top member 26. Passageway 46 accommodates the raising and lowering movements of a lifting fork 50, which is characterized by an upper vertical leg 52 and a horizon'tal forwardly extending leg 54. Means for guiding leg 52 for vertical movement within passageway 46 includes a pair of spaced elongated guide bars 48 on each of the inner surfaces between side member 28 and vertical member 46. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 9, bars 48 are in register with each other to form slidable way means for blocks 56 that are welded on each side of vertical leg 52 of forh 50. Means for raising and lowering fork 50 within the limits defined generally by the length of guide bars 48 include an hydraulic double acting jack mounted at one end to brackets 62 secured to top member 26 and at the other end to brackets 6 carried by the upperrear portion of vertical leg 52. A removable tension bolt 66 is mounted between vertical member 43 and side member 28 adjacent the bottom thereof to lend structural rigidity to the device without I interfering with the placing of fork St? in position during its assembly.

Carried by frame 2% iin spaced opposed relation to fork 543 is a laterally movable lifting fork in, which is mounted adjacent side member 3%). Lifting fork 7%? is similar in construction to lifting fork 54 having a vertical upper leg 72 and a forwardly extending horizontal leg 74. As shown in FIGURESS and 8, an elongated rigid generally square in cross-section track 76 is secured to the top of intermediate horizontal member 32. Track extends inwardly from side member 3% to a point short of the central portion of frame 20. Means mounting fork 79 upon carriage 20 include an upper L-shaped weldment 78 engageable with the top and rear surface of track and a rearwardly pro ecting lug 80 on the lower extremity of vertical leg 72 which fits into upstanding spaced parallel brackets 82 carried along lower horizontal member 34. Suitable pin members 84 keep fork '70 in a selected lateral position defined by each one of the pairs of brackets 82.

Turning now to a consideration of the upper articulated grab arm assembly 85 employed to cooperate with forks 50 and 70, this structure includes a pair of forwardly extending parallel arms 9% pivotal at their rear ends about an axis parallel to top member 25. Spaced parallel upstanding brackets 92 mounted on each side of the vertical centerline of frame 20 on top member 26 pivotally support arms 0. A rigid central vertical frame 93 consisting of spaced vertical members 94, 96 secured to intermediate horizontal member 32 and top member as projects above top member 26 to provide support for hydraulic jack 98. Jack 98 is pivotally mounted at one end, as at 1%, to frame 93 and is connected at its opposite end to a pivotal transverse bracket M32 located at the forward free end of and between arms 9d. As illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7, bracket W2 includes a rotatable transverse shaft ltljoining arms $6 and the elements 116 of the clamping member to be described. A pair of. spaced generally transverse plates 1% having laterally spaced hollow collars 1% at their forward ends adapted to rotatably receive shaft 184 permit the attaci ment of the end of piston rod 116 of jack 98 by virtue of a pin member 112 carried by plates are rearwardly of shaft 104'.

Also carried by shaft 104 substantially in register with arms are a pair of spaced converging identical downwardly curved forwardly extending arms 116. A curved steel plate 118 joins arms 116 to define therewith clamping member 117. A hook 12$) is provided at the lower edge of clamping member 117. Means for pivoting clamping member 117 about the axis defined by shaft Midincludes an upstanding framework 121 made of struts 122 mounted upon arms 9% The upper end of framework 121 is adapted, as at 124, to pivotally carry hydraulic iack 126, which is also pivotally mounted, as at 12 3, to bracket means located intermediate the length of clamping member 117. A lateral stiffener 132 joins bracket 130 to arms 116.

To prevent the catching of logs and other generally cylindrical objects in the corner of forks 559 and 76, I provide a removable boiling up bracket 139 which can be easily attached to the forks or removed therefrom in case loads such as lumber is to be carried in the device. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, this feature comprises a pair of vertical side plates let; that enclose each side of the fork at its corner. Joined to side plates 1 5i? is a concave curved load plate 142 which serves as a fillet between the intersection between the horizontal and vertical legs of the fork. Side plates 1 extend behind the vertical leg of the fork, as at 144', and are drilled to receive a bolt 146 designed to join them in rigid locking conmotion to the fork. An internal pipe-like support 148 is provided between side plates 14% forwardly of the vertical leg of the fork and beneath load plate 142.

lack of is hydraulically actuated by fluid supplied from a pump (not shown) operated in the conventional manner. Supply lines 1% are connected to opposite ends of the cylinder of jack all to provide a positive double action. Suitable valve means (not shown) are employed to operate jack oil from a convenient location. The cylinders of jacks S 8 and 125 used to actuate arms 99 and clamping member H7, respectively, are supplied With fluid under pressure by means of lines 152 and 154. As indicated in FIGURES l and 10, line 152 is connected to the head end of each of the cylinders of jacks 98 and i213. Each line 152, 54 is connected to a four-Way valve (not shown) enabling the operator to apply pressure simultaneously to either one end or the other end of both jacks 98 and 126. Such an arrangement is desirable when loading logs and other bulky high density loads as it results in the flow of fluid through lines 152, 154 to iacks 98 and 126 according to the path of least resistance. Thus, pressure is exerted upon the load exactly where it is needed at a given time, i.e., either through arms 9i or clamping member 117. This feature combines Well with boiling-up bracket 13) to quickly and efiicicntly move a load from the forward edge of forks 5t] and 7@ into gripping engagement with frame 2%, arms hi and clamping member 117.

in the use and operation of my multi-purpose carriage, it is apparent that frame 2% can be tilted forwardly or rearwardly about axis 24 adjacent the lower horizontal edge thereof. When frame 2d is in a forwardly and downwardly tilted position, the ends of forks 50 and 7% cooperate With the forward end of clamping member 117 to select and lift logs and the like from a pile. The clamping action of arms 9 and clamping member ll? forces the logs rearwardiy towards bracket i39 where they are guided in a vertical direction towards the top of frame The load can be increased by opening arms and clamping member ill, tilting frame rearwardly and upwardly about axis 24 and then sliding forks 5% and under a group of logs in a pile before closing arms 9% and clamping member ll? thereabout. The simultaneous admission of fluid to each cylinder of jacks 8 and i125 results in a constant application of force to the pile of logs as they are grouped together Within the carriage.

For stacking lumber and the like, it is often advisable to place them in a tilted stack to obtain maximum drying results, either in a kiln or in the open air. For this pun pose, fork 5ft may be adjusted in a vertical direction either above or below the level of fork 76 after the load is placed thereon. As described previously, this operation is accomplished by means of the aforementioned vertically slidable characteristics of fork 5'? by virtue of its connection to lifting jack (it). The lateral position of fork 781 may be varied, as explained, to accommodate loads of different lengths. When loads such as lumber, crates, etc. are placed upon the carriage, boiling-up bracket 13? may be removed to expose the generally square contour of the inner angle of forks 5G and 7d. FEGURE 1 shows boiling-up bracket on a single fork only for purposes of clarity, it being understood that in practice both forks either are equipped therewith or they are removed therefrom, according to the demands of a particular job.

As shown in FIGURE 10, arms 9% and clamping member 117 form an articulated upper grab arm assembly 85 that is pivotally movable into selected positions. The solid line position indicated by reference character I illustrates clamping member if? and arms Q0 in a lower load holding position; an intermediate dotted line position member 117 pivoted about its rear axis with arms 90 in a forward horizontal position; and the dotted lines indicated by reference character III shows both arms 9&3 and clamping member 117 in a raised rearward position enabling structural shapes such as lumber, crates and the like to be loaded and carried on forks 5d, 79 without interference from the upper grab arm ass mbly.

The vertical travel of lifting fork 54) is outlined in dotted lines in FIGURES 5 and 10, the lower position beiu indicated by character E and the upper position being indicated by character E. The solid line indication of fork 54 illustrates its position in a normally level position in register with corresponding fork '70.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a load carrier for mobile loaders and the like, a transverse frame carried by the forward end of a boom, said frame including vertical side supports at each end thereof, a vertical structural member adjacent one of said side supports, rneans defining a way on the inner vertical surfaces between said vertical structural member and its adjacent side support, a lift fork slidably mounted in said way means, fluid pressure means connected to said frame operable to raise and lower said lift fork within said way means, and a lift fork fixedly attached to said frame in spaced horizontal relation to said slidable lift fork.

2. The load carrier of claim 1 wherein said slidable lift fork may be raised above said fixed lift fork and lowered below said fixed lift fork.

3. In a load engaging device adapted for mobile loaders and the like having a forwardly extending boom, a carriage mounted on the front end of said boom, an upper grab arm pivotally carried by the top of said carriage, said upper grab arm being jointed forwardly of said carriage and including a generally straight section pivoted to said carriage and a downwardly curved section pivotally mounted to the forward end of said generally straight section, power means for raising and lowerin said grab arm about its pivot axes, a pair of lower lifting forks forwardly extending from the bottom of said carriage, one of said lifting forks being slidably mounted within said carriage for vertical movement with respect to the other fork, power means for imparting raising and lowering movements to said vertically slidable fork, the other of said forks being slidably mounted on said carriage for lateral movement with respect thereto, means on said carriage and said laterally movable fork for fixing Said fork in a selected lateral position, and a removable curved boot on each fork adapted to guide the load engaged by said device toward the upper part of said carriage in response to forces imparted thereto by said upper grab arm.

4. In a mobile loader including a load engaging structure, a load carriage mounted on said structure, a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending lower lifting forks carried by said carriage, the combination of a centrally disposed longitudinally extending upper grab arm pivotally mounted at its rear end to the top of said carriage, a longitudinally extending upper clamping member cooperable with said upper grab arm and said lifting forks to clampingly engage articles therebetween, means pivotally joining the rear of said upper clamping member to the free end of said upper grab arm, said means being disposed within the plane of said upper clamping member and said upper grab arm, first rigid upstanding bracket means secured to the middle of said carriage and extending thereabove, second rigid upstanding bracket means secured to said upper grab arm in longitudinally spaced relation to said carriage, a first hydraulic jack pivotally connected at one end to said first bracket means above said carriage and at the other end thereof to said means pivotally joining said upper clamping member to said upper grab arm, and a second hydraulic jack pivotally connected at one end thereof to said second bracket means above said upper grab arm and at the other end thereof to said upper clamping member.

5 The structure defined in claim 4 wherein said means pivotally joining said upper clamping member to said upper grab arm include a pair of spaced transverse plate members, means pivotally mounting said plate members with respect to said upper grab arm and said upper clamping member, and means securing the piston rod of said first hydraulic jack between said plate members.

6. In a carriage for mobile loaders, forwardly extending lift fork means mounted on said carriage, said means including at least one lifting fork having a Vertical leg and a horizontal leg, the combination of a removable boiling up bracket secured to said fork at the intersection of its vertical and horizontal legs, said bracket comprising a pair of generally vertical side plates overlying the sides of the said legs and extending behind the vertical leg, an upwardly concave load plate joined to said side plates adapted to form a fillet between the said legs, and means joining said side plates behind the said vertical leg for releasably securing said bracket to said fork.

7. The boiling up bracket of claim 6 wherein an internal support is provided between said side plates beneath said load plate and forwardly of the said vertical leg of said fork.

8. The load carrier of claim 1 wherein a tension member is mounted between said vertical structural member and the side support adjacent thereto.

9. In a load carrier for mobile loaders and the like, a transverse frame carried by the forward end of a boom, said frame including vertical side supports at each end thereof, a vertical structural member adjacent one of said side supports, means defining a way on the inner vertical surfaces between said vertical structural member and its adjacent side support, a lift fork slidably mounted in said way means, fluid pressure means connected to said frame operable to raise and lower said lift fork within said way means, and a laterally movable lift fork mounted on said frame in spaced horizontal relation to said slidable lift fork.

10. The load carrier of claim 9 wherein said slidable lift fork may be raised above said laterally movable lift fork and lowered below said laterally movable lift fork.

11. The load carrier of claim 9 wherein a tension member is mounted between said vertical structural member and the side support adjacent thereto.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,418,251 Drott Apr. 1, 1947 2,875,913 Gohrke Mar. 3, 1959 2,897,985 Carlson Aug. 4, 1959 2,997,193 Dunharn Aug. 22, 1961 3,096,896 Norton July 9, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 714,482 Great Britain of 1954 

1. IN A LOAD CARRIER FOR MOBILE LOADERS AND THE LIKE, A TRANSVERSE FRAME CARRIED BY THE FORWARD END OF A BOOM, SAID FRAME INCLUDING VERTICAL SIDE SUPPORTS AT EACH END THEREOF, A VERTICAL STRUCTURAL MEMBER ADJACENT ONE OF SAID SIDE SUPPORTS, MEANS DEFINING A WAY ON THE INNER VERTICAL SURFACES BETWEEN SAID VERTICAL STRUCTURAL MEMBER AND ITS ADJACENT SIDE SUPPORT, A LIFT FORK SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID WAY MEANS, FLUID PRESSURE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME OPERABLE TO RAISE AND LOWER SAID LIFT FORK WITHIN SAID WAY MEANS, AND A LIFT FORK FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME IN SPACED HORIZONTAL RELATION TO SAID SLIDABLE LIFT FORK. 